With the popularization of Internet technologies and applications, millions of users are connecting to the Internet daily to conduct e-commerce transactions or perform searches for information. The interaction between these users and external host servers on the Internet involves the transfer of data, which may include various computer viruses.
To combat viruses, users and administrators of computer networks have employed a variety of tools, such as anti-virus programs and firewalls, which are created to detect and block viruses from infecting associated computer system. One capability of many conventional anti-virus programs is to perform virus checking on virus-susceptible computer files when receiving them. A popular method for detecting viruses in computers, employed in many anti-virus products, is called “scanning.” During scanning, a scanner scans the potential hosts for a set of one or more specific patterns of code called “signatures” that are indicative of particular known viruses or virus families. Obviously, the scanning speed of the anti-virus system used for blocking viruses will directly influence the network speed.
Conventional anti-virus systems rely on a single Central Processing Unit (CPU) to support virus scanning processes that control and perform arithmetic and logical operations involved in procuring the virus sample, implementing the virus analysis, generating the appropriate cures, and deploying them to the end users. When the amount of data that needs to be examined is too great, the single CPU of conventional systems may be too heavily burdened to perform with high efficiency. A single higher frequency processor or two-core processor may be used to facilitate better firewall and anti-virus performance. However, when the anti-virus function is implemented, the CPU will be slowed down and efficiency reduced.
Furthermore, a virtual-machine may be used for implementing anti-virus functions in order to protect a computer system from being crashed. The virtual-machine is a protected memory space that is created through the processor's hardware capabilities to emulate the performance of a hardware device. In prior art, in order to run or perform the virtual machine, software is used to interpretively execute a program, and then determine whether viruses are present by checking the state of the program. However, running a virtual-machine through memories of a CPU may further lower speeds and using software based systems to handle anti-virus operations may lower performance.
In some industrial computing applications, for achieving stable and reliable communication, a standard Compact Peripheral Component Interface (CompactPCI) platform or other industrial standard backplane based system may be used. The CompactPCI is an adaptation of the Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) specification for industrial computer applications. Although the CompactPCI is suited for small, high-speed industrial computing applications where transfers occur between a number of high-speed cards, the use of the CompactPCI leads to high costs.
There is thus a need in the art for an optimal anti-virus system that overcomes at least the aforementioned shortcomings in the art. In particular, a need exists in the art for an optimal anti-virus system with high efficiency and low cost.